How Kissing Works

The Anatomy of a Kiss

Most people think about what to do when kissing another person, but fewer ponder all the technical details behind it. No matter who you're kissing or why, the basic kiss relies heavily on one muscle - the orbicularis oris, which runs around the outside of your mouth. Your orbicularis oris changes the shape of your mouth while you talk, and it puckers your lips when you kiss.

But orbicularis oris is really just the tip of the iceberg. About two-thirds of people tip their heads to the right while kissing. Scientists believe this preference starts before we're born, when we tip our heads to the right in the womb. So muscles in your head, neck and shoulders tilt your head so your nose doesn't collide with your partner's nose.

In addition, the rest of the muscles in your face and head also play a part in a more involved kiss. For example:

Several muscles - your genioglossus, styloglossus, palatoglossus and hyoglossus - move your tongue if you decide to use it.

Anyone who has ever been kissed knows that the sensations involved aren't confined to the mouth. Your facial nerve carries impulses between your brain and the muscles and skin in your face and tongue. While you kiss, it carries messages from your lips, tongue and face to your brain to tell it what's going on. Your brain responds by ordering your body to produce:

Oxytocin, which helps people develop feelings of attachment, devotion and affection for one another

Dopamine, which plays a role in the brain's processing of emotions, pleasure and pain

Serotonin, which affects a person's mood and feelings

Adrenaline, which increases heart rate and plays a role in your body's fight-or-flight response

When you kiss, these hormones and neurotransmitters rush through your body. Along with natural endorphins, they produce the euphoria most people feel during a good kiss. In addition, your heart rate increases and your blood vessels dilate, so your whole body receives more oxygen than it does when you're just standing around. You can also smell the person you're kissing, and researchers have demonstrated a connection between smells and emotions.

Kissing the Blarney Stone

Tourists visiting Ireland often stop by Blarney Castle near Cork to kiss the Blarney Stone. It's said that kissing the stone bestows the kisser with the gift of blarney, or eloquence. takes a lot more than just lips. To reach it, people have to lie on their backs, hold a set of handrails and tip their heads backwards until they are essentially upside down.

Geek chic: Is it a style, a trend, a movement, a cultural shift or just a love affair with all things uncool? First off, what is a geek? If you're getting ready to argue about this definition, you might be one of them.